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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Remember all the way back to July 1st when I announced that the component of the month was my Nightmare Insomnia series bead? Yeah, I know. It seems like last week. However, the creative designers for July have been hard at work and are excited to show you what they have made. Also, I am super excited to see what they have done with my babies...I mean...beads.

Please visit everyone and try to leave comments at each stop. Us creative types like to hear something other than crickets.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Bead Fest is almost here (Ahhh!) and I'm starting to finish up my last few firings. Once that is done I have trays and trays of beads that need to be priced. If you are coming to Bead Fest then here is just a tiny bit of what you can expect to find. I will also have raku and stoneware (to be photographed another day).

A tray full of flowers in bloom! There are five different designs in this tray in an array of bright colors.

I'm still working on filling this tray of ocean-inspired pieces. The kiln is currently loaded with more starfish (in a new color), bubble charms and shell-impression pendants.

I tested a new matte blue glaze a few weeks ago and fell in love. I won't have a lot in this glaze but I'm going to try and whip up a few more. What a wonderful color!

Earthy bead sets! There is also a tray with rainbow bead sets. These are my favorite things to assemble. I think I could do that all day and not get bored.

My customers love copper patina, so I made sure to have plenty of it. This is only one of the trays of copper patina...yes, there's more!

I still have a few firings ahead of me and I'd like to spend one or two more days making more beads. I haven't even figured out my entire table display yet. So much to do and so little time! I know I'll get it done and make it happen but talk about stress!

Have you ever sold at a bead show before? Any advice for a first-timer?

This interview resulted in the break-up between the two companies. I know you're asking yourself what two large companies suffering a difference of opinions and an ugly social media battle over the issue of gay marriage has to do with you running your jewelry business. More than you might think.

Chik-Fil-A is now suffering some completely unnecessary backlash. Consumers vote with their cash and I'm guessing there will be lots of people saying "no cash for you!" Why unnecessary? Because if Mr Cathy had kept his mouth firmly closed, there would be no issue. He can even be against gay marriage and say something like "we believe God loves everyone no matter what." The end. That would be smart business.

Nope. In fact, he pretty much slams divorced and remarried people in that same quote. I have no idea how many people in the United States are divorced and/or remarried...but I'm thinking that number is pretty high.

Jim Henson Company could face a similar backlash...meaning, those who oppose gay marriage will no longer buy whatever toy or movie or whatever they are peddling these days because they came out as supporters of gay marriage. Was the public statement necessary? No. However, it does seem in my internet wanderings that they have more applause than boos over their statement. But it could have easily gone the other way.

As a business trying to make a profit, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media are not the appropriate venue to rant about your hot button views over religion, politics, race, etc because there will always be people who are potential customers who disagree with you and will vote with their cash and pass on their bad opinion of you, and therefore your business, onto others. That is not the kind of word of mouth you want.

Also, if I'm visiting a jewelry blog, I don't want to read about how someone's religion is the best, who they hate, their political views, their sex lives, or how brown haired blue eyed women are the smartest, funniest, prettiest, most fashionable people and should rule the planet (ok, being a brown haired blue eyed female, maybe I do want to read that...). While people do want to get to know a bit about the genius person (you) who designs incredible jewelry, they don't want to be assaulted with your opinions.

There may be appropriate times to discuss your views about this topic in a level-headed respectful and professional manner. For example, you sell Gay Pride jewelry. By all means, share away because it is appropriate to your business model and your customers are more than likely going to agree with whatever you have to say on the subject.

However, if you sell handmade rosaries and you support gay marriage or even birth control...you might want to keep your personal views just that...personal.

If you feel so strongly about something you don't care what the backlash is, share. But remember to use professional respectful language. There is never a good reason to be hateful or hurtful even if those with an opposing viewpoint act that way.

Before you decide to share your views on a hot button topic, ask yourself why you need to share. If you think you will change someone's views...well...that's about as likely as a Mormon showing up on the doorstep of and converting a Southern Baptist to Mormonism. Not bloody likely. If you think what you have to say needs to be said, then say it.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Christmas in July was NOT popular at all...haha! Ok, I get it. It's difficult to be inspired by Christmas when it's record breaking high temperatures this summer. Let's go to the lake this time. We are currently in the process of building a lake cottage. On one of my visits to the lake house, I literally gasped out loud when I walked out the back door (side facing the lake) and saw the protected wetland area behind our house covered in flowers.

This month's inspiration photo is a close-up of the wetland behind our lake cottage:

If you want to see the pink flowers in a close-up, here you go:

-The blog hop for this photo will be held August 13th, which gives you 3 weeks to create something inspired by this photo.

-Challenge yourself to use at least one handmade component. It can be made by you or by someone else. -On the day of the reveal, post the inspiration photo(s) and photos of what you created based on the inspiration photo on your blog. Write how you were inspired by the photo. Tell us about the handmade component you used and why. -Add you blog post URL to the linky tools at the bottom of the AJE reveal post (instructions on how to do it are super easy and self explanatory once you click on the link for linky tools).-Add the linky tools html to your blog post to continue the hop. -Have people visit your blog-This is meant to be a way to help everyone's creativity to expand and for self improvement and to get new visitors to your blog-This is not a high stress situation. You do not have to commit in advance. You join when you are inspired and/or have time and want to challenge yourself.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

I love earrings. LOVE them! I also love playing with art beads and sometimes you realize you only have one of something left. What's a beader to do?!? Make mismatched earrings that's what!

The bracelet I made for my design team's summer challenge NEEDED a pair of earrings to go with it but I'm trying hard not to tap into my Bead Fest inventory. What was I to do? As it turns out, I had made an extra starfish link for the challenge but only one. I pulled out my seashell charms and found that I had an extra in there too! Then I used leftover beads from the bracelet to make these fun, summer earrings.

When designing mismatched earrings you should keep in mind the colors, shapes and textures you are using. The earrings above started with some great mismatched charms from MyElements and my own porcelain rounds. Then I used crystals to bring out the orange in the acrylic charms. I also repeated the circle shape of the disk by using a large, closed blue jump ring from Primitive Earth Beads.

If you find you are having a hard time designing mismatched earrings, keep it simple. Instead of using different elements, use the same elements but in different colors.

Metal Me This offers wonderful disks in a variety of colors and designs that go nicely together and make mismatching easy. Try pairing two different color designs with crystals and round chain (mimicking the shape of the disks).

Friday, July 20, 2012

I don't care how busy I am, when I get my near daily note from the Universe in my inbox, I read it. Because today's was long, I thought twice about whether I had the time. But I stopped, took a deep breathe, and gave myself permission to slow down. Here's today's message:

If, Barbara, when you lay your head upon your pillow tonight, you could choose to slip into a dream dimension where time would literally expand, so much so that you could live out an entire other lifetime within it as a person "designed" by you from head to toe, even choosing your name and who your parents would be. Where every single day you'd be pushed on to greatness, every single challenge would invite you to become more, and all of your dreams could come true. Where, no matter how things may ever seem, you'd be bathed in love, surrounded by friends, safe and sound in your very own bed. And where, upon waking, all that you loved and learned in that lifetime would remain with you, and all that scared and threatened you would only have prepared you for even more love and learning in the near future.

Would you choose to go there, Barbara, just for one night, on the condition that during the dream itself you mustn't have any recollection of how you got there, its purpose, or what might happen next?

Of course you would, you're a supercoolhappylovething!

Which begs the question, "How do you know, then, this isn't that dream?"

Howling at the moon, The Universe

If you're interested in been greeted by your own personal cheerleader in the morning, go to to Notes from the Universe, which is Mike Dooley's creation. Next time I'll have some eye candy ... some bridal jewelry I'm making for a friend's wedding!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

On Saturday, I took a trip to the Innovative Bead Expo in Edison, NJ. I've been to this small show several times over the last few years and while I don't go as often anymore it's not bad if you are in need of general supplies/findings.

The show is split into two rooms. This is the view of the larger room from the entrance. You'll find mostly gemstones, findings and mass-produced beads at Innovative. There are a few vendors carrying art beads but no where near the amount you find at large shows.

I ran into a few friends as I walked the show floor and oogled some cool blown glass beads (forgot to get a photo of those).

Even though I wasn't planning on spending money (yeah, ok...not spend money at a bead show. LOL!) I was drawn into Eureka Crystal Bead's booth. They carry a large selection of Czech glass which I'm a sucker for. I picked out some things I "needed" and headed back to the main room.

Back in the main room was a table filled with the most wonderful wood beads EVER! Here, see for yourself...

Oooooo!

Ahhhh! These beads are created by a very nice couple (with a super cute baby) who run a company called Moore Amelioration Woodwork. I chatted with them for awhile and then decided I "needed" some of their beads as well. After I paid for my super cool new wood beads it was time to head home.

3. Come back to this post and scroll to the bottom where it says "This is a Blog Hop" below that is says: "You are next...Click here to enter." Click on it.

4. Follow the instructions to add your blog post.

5. Do not forget to select which photo from your post you want as the thumbnail or linky tools will select something random.

6. To add the blog hop to your post, click on the "get the code here" below the thumbnails and below "what is a blog hop". Click it and copy the link provided to add the blog hop to your blog (this is in lieu of placing a list of blogs on your blog post and it updates itself automatically).

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Last August I invited several friends to participate in an art bead swap at Bead Fest. We all had such a wonderful time that I hosted a smaller version of the swap at Bead Fest Spring back in April. Well, August is almost here and this year I'm opening the swap to anyone and everyone who loves art beads.

So if you want to swap beads and make new friends here's what you need to know!

3. Participants will be randomly assigned a swap partner on 7/24/12. Your partners info will be emailed to you that day.

4. This is a surprise-style swap. This means you do not have to select the art beads based specifically on what your partner typically works with. Just have fun choosing your swap beads.

5. We will all gather on 8/18/12 at 4:45 in the concessions area at the show to meet and swap with our partners. If you are unable to make the official meet-up, then it is up to you to contact your partner and arrange a more suitable time to swap that day.

**Please note: due to the large number of participants, failure to include all the required informaton will mean you are not included in the swap. Please review all the requirements carefully. Thank you.**

2. Sign-ups are open through 7/22/12. (Sorry, no late entrants will be accepted.)

Reminders for the swap will be on my Suburban Girl Facebook page status only. So please "Like" the page if you want to be reminded a few days before Bead Fest!

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Have you been working on your "Inspired By" pieces for July? If you forget the details, you can read them here. The reveal date is Monday July 16 and the inspiration photos (you get 2 this time!) are

and

both taken at the Bubble Room in Captiva Island, Florida.

Here's a sneak peek at what I've been working on:

I am mostly inspired by the vintage lights above Santa's head. It's difficult to see, but some of the beads have a funky shape and some are just plain spacers. I know what I want to do with them, but I'm having structural issues with the other components. So we'll see if I can get it worked out and do what I want to do.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Who uses press releases? Why should I use a press release? How should I create a press release? Now you're thinking like a "Press Release!" Do you remember in school we were taught that who, what, when, where and how was essential to writing a good newspaper article. Your press release is your newspaper article, because, hopefully, that's where you'll be seeing it published.

We have facebook and our blogs as networking tools, but have you considered your immediate community as "followers?" They most definitely are! We want our community to find us and learn what we're all about, right? So let's create a press release about a craft show we'll be participating in. We'll start with the release date of the press release. Very important. Mine are usually "For immediate release," but if not for immediate release, just use the date that you'd like the information to be released.

Next we have the title of the press release. This is fairly short ... a few words. It could say, "Local Tasmanian Devil Hills Artist Gains Acceptance to Prestigious Craft Show." Now we want to describe the title. This is a fairly short paragraph of about 15 to 30 words. It could read, "Jewelry-designer, Jane Smith, of Tasmanian Hills, was selected from over 10,000 applicants to participate in the 10th Annual Saw Mill Art and Craft Show on July 12, 2012."

Now we get into describing the selection process of the Saw Mill Art and Craft Show and, more specifically, Jane Smith, her process, and what makes her special.

"Saw Mill Art and Craft Show, a keystone art venue of the Tri-County Area, receives more than 10,000 applications each year from the most talented artists in the country. Artists and artisans from as far away as Fallujah covet the select few spaces in this established show that attracts nearly 60,000 attendees from the Tri-County Area."

Now we start to feature Jane and her work ... "Jane Smith, Jewelry Designer from Tasmanian Hills, has been selected as an exhibitor. Jane has been designing jewelry for ten years and is recognized for her work with beads, baubles and jewels. In particular, Jane has developed a unique technique for creating peyote stitch pill boxes. Her customers are drawn to her splashy color choices and whimsical designs. According to Jane, "A unique use of color is my trademark. I think the most common remark I hear from my customers is, 'How did you select these wonderful colors?"

So, now let's give a little background about Jane's education ... "Jane was fortunate to have studied with some of the leaders of the Pioneering Peyote Stitch Movement. This foundation has influenced Jane to push the envelope of color ... "(you've got the picture!)

Now we sum it up ... Please visit Jane in Booth 666 at the Saw Mill Art and Craft Show on July 12, 2012 from 1 a.m. - 4 a.m. at Circus Street, Gentry Codgin, MT. Jane will be demonstrating her unique Peyote Pidgeon Stitch from 2 am to 2:30 am. For more details, please contact Jane Smith through her website Pidgeon, Codgin and Pickle Street Pieces (www:pcpsp.com).

There you have it! It's not hard at all. Make sure you blanket your area with these press releases from your small community paper to your regional paper or magazine. If you're going to spend time writing a press release, spend as much time trying to make sure it gets seen.

For my friends that are not beadweavers the selection of clasps to purchase are not really there. This perplexed me. I know that I love beaded clasps and the ability to make them. I also love hand made clasps that many of my favorite artists create. Why is there not a selection of beaded clasps for other artists to use? This poses a big question. Is it that there is not a market for them? Not that I am ready to jump in feet first but I would like to know what you think. Or am I just so into the beadweaving I am assuming too much into the uniqueness of them?

Here are a few pieces of mine that I use beaded clasps in.

A peyote ring with a toggle

Simple beaded loop for the button

Another peyote ring toggle

A fun hidden snap clasp

a flat peyote circle to mimic the rest of the design.

What are your opinions? Would you like to be able to purchase a beaded clasp for your own work?

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Contemporary Cube Bead Designs is Virginia Jensen's second book on creating with cube beads. Because she had so many ideas while writing her first book, she had enough material for this new book.

The layout is organized by the stitch type, which includes ladder, herringbone, step stitch (which Jensen developed and explains the process by which she developed it). The last section is an "other" stitch chapter, which includes stitches that sometimes work and why they sometimes work, including peyote, brick, and square stitch.

As a person who does not do beadweaving, I made sure to look at the photos, the diagrams, and the instructions to see if a beginner could be successful creating any of these designs. The answer is yes. The diagrams are easy to read, photos large and clear. I think I could do most of the ladder stitch designs for sure.

What about the aesthetics of the designs? Awesome. While I think beadweavers are a pretty incredible, talented, and PATIENT lot who make amazing things. The type of designs I would actually be willing to wear is pretty narrow. Jensen has created several designs I would wear in a heartbeat. My absolute favorites are the cuffs using Tila beads in various checkerboard type patterns. I also love the use of the cube beads in the herringbone, and her use of texture throughout.

An important aspect of the book is her explanation of differences in cube bead manufacturers, the idiosyncrasies of the beads, the size, the shape, etc.

Even as a non-beadweaver kind of person, I really enjoyed this book and am glad Kalmbach Publishing gave me the opportunity to review it. I considered keeping it for myself, but my library overflows. That means one of you lucky people gets to win it!

How to enter:

1) leave a comment telling us why you would like this book for your library. Make sure you leave an email address to contact you

The main goal of shipping art jewelry components or art jewelry is that they get to their destination undamaged.

However, other goals include: 1) keeping shipping costs down by making the item being shipped as lightweight as possible 2) inexpensive packaging materials 3) professional looking packaging.

Tips for how to accomplish all these things:

1) Buy shipping supplies in bulk-especially bubble mailers, tape and tissue paper. Compare several different companies AND their shipping/handling costs. Some make up for their inexpensive prices in their handling fees
2) Reuse bubble wrap, plastic baggies, jewelry boxes, etc.
3) Save on paper, ink, and shipping weight by not printing out invoices. If a customer wants a hard copy, they can print it out online. However, many people are trying to reduce paper clutter and being "green" is cool.
4) Use cardboard as little as possible. I ship my jewelry in the smallest possible jewelry box I can fit it into. However, beads are wrapped in reused bubble wrap, then wrapped in tissue paper for a little extra layer of protection and to look pretty.
5) Tissue paper is coordinated with my business materials and logo
6) I recently bought some Moo stickers with my logo. They have several different sizes and look awesome on the tissue paper.
7) Include a handwritten thank-you. I recently had some postcards printed out with my logo on the front and a black and white bead image on the back. I write the customer's name and address in the appropriate space (just in case the shipping label is damaged or some other nonsense), and include a short handwritten thank you note on the postcard. Before that I bought Thank you cards from the clearance bin. I like the postcards better though. It looks much more coordinated and professional.
8) Include a business card. I love the Moo mini cards. (And if you are ordering there anyway, get your free Facebook cards too. You do have to pay for shipping.)
9) I stamp with a fancy "Thank You" design stamp and Staz On ink on the back side of the bubble mailer for a little extra detail.

That's about all I can think of for now. What do you do to make your packaging practical and professional?

Friday, July 6, 2012

I am excited to share one of my newest designs! I got brave and pushed the limits of my materials so I wanted to encourage you to do the same. After all, some of the best designs come from doing things that may not turn out. My art teacher used to say "No Risk, No Art!" Wow, who knew that would stick?! ;)

Here was the hideous messy of my desk with my lone design in the center lol.

Here is a closer look at my pattern I had laid out. See my mermaid in the center with the wings? Here she was just layed on top. Now to figure out how the heck I was going to assemble her! The hole for the mermaid was at the top of her head. The wings hole was in the center of the wings and on the wing tips. I tried EVERYTHING to get them rigged together. I tried cording, wire working, NOTHING was working :(

Then.... I had a thought.... What if I made a hole in her back with my dremmel? *GASP* Was this a good idea? Well pewter was soft, right? Her design was nice and solid and there was a nice thick spot I could drill inbetween her back and hair. *Inhales deeply* Ok, I'm going to go for it.

I pulled out my dremmel and attached the smallest rounded drill tip I had. I held my breath(literally. Yeah, you may not want to do that part ;)) and gently drilled into her back on one side. Then I moved her to the other side and began gently drilling.....

I felt the drill release as I had hit the other side! SUCCESS! I moved my dremmel away and peered into her back. Yep, light! I did it! There was still enough of her hair over the hole I created to be substantial! *WHEW*

I typed in with text where the hole is since it's a little hard to see.

Here you can see the holes in the wings and if you look really closely you can see a little mark on her left arm where the hole is. Now to get her together.

I took my c-lon cording and genly wove through each wing and through her back about 3-4 times. I then pulled tightly and tied a knot. I then tied a knot in each loose cord, snipped them a little past the knot and gently melted the ends to prevent fraying.

Look how perfect she looks! The wings look like they were created especially for her! :D I was so delighted that not only did my bravery pay off, but at the exquisite design I had just created.

I went to work stringing, and wire-wraping, knotting, crimping. I added in a wonderful nested loop connector that I had received from Karen.

I tied on some sari silk in some watery colors and used one of my new watery sea anemone ruffled discs.

Here you can see the whole necklace design :) I just adore this new piece!

I was in my pajamas while I was busily making my necklace, so when my sister showed up I ran to her to model my newest master piece! She arrived in a pretty black dress with her beautiful olive skin and sparkling blue eyes. I drug her outside in the sunlight and clicked some photos.

Here you can see her wearing my necklace along with the earrings I created with the gorgeous earring bases I received from Staci in my happiness box :)

Here is a pic of the earrings.

I encourage you to be brave with your designs and push the limits the next time you sit down to design.